Joe Crowley: “this April marks the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, when the Ottoman Empire killed 1.5 million Armenians and…”

“this April marks the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, when the Ottoman Empire killed 1.5 million Armenians and exiled over 500,000 more during an eight-year-long reign of terror. By recognizing these events, we can hopefully prevent similar horrors from occurring again. To recognize the Armenian Genocide, however, the United States must affirm that a genocide indeed occurred. To date, President Bush has refused to acknowledge that the events of 1915 to 1923 comprised acts of genocide. I have joined 101 other members of Congress in signing a letter to President Bush urging him to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Doing so will place the United States in the company of the European Union, Canada, Russia, and other members of the international community. History has a way of rewarding those who have suffered. Today, after centuries of Turkish domination and eighty years of Soviet domination, an independent Republic of Armenia is an upstanding, sovereign member of the family of nations. The United States must continue to help the government in Yerevan guarantee its security, develop its economy, and institutionalize its democracy. As a member of International Relations Committee and Congressional Caucus on Armenia, I will continue to argue strongly for policies benefiting Armenia. My district includes many Armenians, especially in Woodside, and I have listened to the concerns of the Armenian-American Community there many times.”